Of Listening and Understanding
by Mandelyn
Summary: Ianto had hoped that he could remain a tea boy, and hide in the background, but a certain Captain Jack Harkness doesn't like that idea, and Ianto starts falling before he can catch himself. Can Ianto stop hearing and start listening? Jack/Ianto, Slash.
1. Recognition

Title: Of Listening and Understanding

Rating: T

Pairing: Jack/Ianto

Summary: Ianto had hoped that he could remain a tea boy, and hide in the background, but a certain Captain Jack Harkness doesn't like that idea, and Ianto starts falling before he can catch himself. Can Ianto stop hearing and start listening?

Warnings: Slash: Male/Male Relationships, Violence, Adult Content, slightly altered episodes of Season 1&2. Sheer blindness of anything to do with _Children of Earth_, and Miracle Day. Spoilers for_ Cyberwoman_, and onward.

Note: I hope that writing this will help me with Speech class, which is kind of the point of this story in the first place. If you have tips, let me know, I could really use it before I flunk out.

_**One – Recognition**_

_the__ identification of __something__ as __having__ been previously __seen,__heard,__known,__etc._

Working for Torchwood had taught Ianto Jones a lot of things. One of them was that seeing wasn't always believing , and that the five senses had to be used along with the incorporation of the five principles of communication, and the principles of listening. It took a long time for Ianto to listen instead of hear his superiors, and it took even longer to form any sort of relationship.

Ianto Jones would have given up completely had it not been an important part of his job. To be honest, not being noticed was what Ianto Jones did best, but there was one particular person who refused to allow him to melt into the background. Bloody, Captain Jack Harkness, the most unorthodox man in the history of Torchwood, and considering the company often kept by the shady group of alien hunters that was saying something.

After all the damage that Ianto had caused with Lisa, he had been surprised that Jack would even talk to him again. He expected to be Retconned back to his teen years. He wouldn't have blamed them, and it didn't help that his guilt gnawed dangerously at his heart. He had no idea why Jack was holding back, he might as well get it over with. Ianto hadn't been able to sleep a wink since that disaster. He had failed everyone, including himself.

It was some time in the wee hours of the night, and Ianto had decided to clean out the archive room in case he would have memory loss, and someone would need have to take over the filing. Ianto supposed that it would Toshiko, she was the intelligent one in their branch. He was also hoping to keep away from the glares he received from Gwen and Owen, while at the same time dodge the disappointed looks Jack and Toshiko sent him. Ianto hadn't been paying attention to the world around him because no one ever came down to the archives, but he wound up jumping and shrieking like a little girl when a strong hard chest pressed into his back. He'd been flicking through the 1920's files when this happened, and the papers flew everywhere.

Ianto's heart raced, and he gasped when he saw Jack standing there shirtless, and with his hands in his pockets.

His mouth went dry, and his body defied all logic as it sneakily reacted to Jack's sexual physique and silent approach.

"_Sir_?" Ianto's cheeks felt unusually warm, and his nerves buzzed like static.

"It's three in the morning."

Ianto inclined his head, and quickly knelt down to pick up the scattered papers. "I know, I needed to get some things done." He looked away from the formidable form, collecting the pages one by one; he tried not to flinch when a hand fell on top of his head.

"I'm sorry."

Ianto's dry mouth seemed to worsen as he tried to swallow. "Why would you be sorry, sir?"

"For not talking to you enough, and for treating you like a servant."

Frowning slightly, Ianto paused on a 1921 document detailing an Alien Invasion in Germany, he glanced up at Jack, and shivered when the man's eyes stared at him intently. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I was in the wrong, I allowed my emotions to cloud my judgment. I – prefer to be a servant, especially after what I did."

"I should not have handled it like that," Jack squatted down onto Ianto's level, and helped him gather the rest of the fallen papers.

"I almost brought ruin to Torchwood out of selfishness."

"We all do things for selfish reasons, Ianto. You are no different. Some are more desperate than others."

"Thank you, sir."

"I thought I told you not to call me sir?" Jack smirked as they stood, and he handed Ianto the papers.

"Right… _sir,_" he drawled with a tiny smile. He placed the folder into its rightful place as arms circled around his waist, and he was drawn into the hard bare chest of his boss.

"I've forgiven you," Jack's lips brushed against Ianto's ear causing the Welshman's heart to gain more speed. "I'm all that matters, Ianto." Ianto closed his eyes at the touch. Jack's hands carefully glided along his sides, and somehow the man's thumbs found a tiny open crease within the tucked part of Ianto's dress shirt. "You're not going anywhere. You're stuck with me."

The blood rushed and pooled around all of Ianto's sensitive areas, and he breathed heavily. "Is that a fact?"

"Oh yeah. I want you to forget about what happened."

"That's a tall order," Ianto breathed raggedly, and closed his eyes as Jack's hot breath ghosted across his ear. He had felt the chemistry between the two of them since the first night they met while chasing a Weevil.

"One that I expect you to follow."

"Yes, sir."

"Good, and might I say – you look dashing this morning."

"That's harassment, sir."

Jack chuckled roughly, and nipped Ianto's ear. "So is this – _now_ – you need some sleep. If you go now, you can capture a few hours."

Ianto opened his eyes, and shook his head. "I can't sleep."

"Come on," Jack ordered shutting the archive drawer, and tugging Ianto with him.

Ianto followed hesitantly through the Torchwood HUB, and toward Jack's office. "Where are we going, sir?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Your _sir_ is going to cause me to get frisky with you." He flashed the well dressed man a smug smile. "You are going to get some rest if I have to make you."

He closed the door to his office with his foot, and before Ianto could turn around his suit jacket was pulled effortlessly right off his shoulders, and then his tie was tugged, freeing his neck from the obstruction. "Shoes off."

"But s- er – Jack – I really can't-"

"Do I have to take them off too?" Jack arched an eyebrow challengingly.

Ianto sighed, and pressed down on the back of his shoe heel, and stepped out of one shoe, and as he did this with the second, Jack's evil hands went straight for his belt. Ianto resisted the urge to groan as he stared up at the low ceiling.

"Now that's what I like, a very cooperative, Ianto Jones. Remarkably adorable," Jack quipped easily.

"I'm not sure if this falls into the job description, _sir_," he countered easily.

"You'd be surprised what is in the description." Jack yanked the belt off like a whip, and tossed it with Ianto's suit jacket, and shoes. He unclasped the top two buttons with a sly grin, and turned the man toward the hole in the wall. "In," he pressed a finger into Ianto's slim back and pushed gently.

Ianto didn't see much choice, when Jack was determined there was no stopping him. He slipped into the man hole, and leaned against the wall; he managed to divert his gaze when Jack climbed in, his muscles were stretching and twitching with the movements.

"Now, we're settled, ah – one more thing. A pet peeve of mine." He reached down causing Ianto to blink when his socks were pulled off and tossed outside of the makeshift bed.

Ianto slowly laid back, feeling a little uncomfortable about being in bed with his boss. It was – _awkward_, and his body was trying to betray him in the worst sense. It seemed that Jack had no shame because he shifted on his side, and slung his arm around Ianto's waist pulling him closer.

"Comfortable?"

Ianto tried, he really did try as he tilted his head toward Jack's, and allowed his tense muscles to relax.

"Good boy," Jack hummed. "Now, sleep."

Ianto lay there listening to Jack's soft breaths, and thought back to when they hid in one of the morgue vaults, and had kissed so intensely at the worst possible time available. His nose twitched when he felt his cheeks heating up. He shifted his head more until his cheek was pressed to the top of Jack's head, and the soothing sounds lulled Ianto into a strangely peaceful sleep.

oOo

Jack was the first to wake at the faint sound of the HUB lift gears. He opened his eyes, and gazed down at the young man curled up against him fast asleep. His usually perfect hair was wild and unkempt, Jack's fingers combed through the top gently as Ianto shifted in his sleep, and getting ever more closer to the immortal man.

He was adorable when he slept, and he was a definite cuddle bug. Jack knew however that his private solace would be disturbed when he heard the alarms go off telling him that someone was coming through the HUB.

Instead of waking Ianto up, he very carefully disentangled himself from the beautiful figure lying in his bed peacefully, and climbed out of his makeshift bedroom, and stretched with a quiet groan. Anyone paying attention could hear several joints popping back into place, and he rubbed his face as he snatched up some clothes on the chair near his desk.

"Jack?"

It was Gwen. Jack buttoned up the shirt as she came into the room. She looked a little confused. "You're here early."

"I'm always here early," Jack said quietly turning to face a mirror. "Why are you?"

"Need a break from Rhys," she said glumly.

"You should spend all the time you can with the one you love, Gwen, otherwise it'll haunt you for life." Contrary to popular belief, Jack was a strong believer in love, and keeping those you love close to you. It was hard for a man like him to have someone forever because they always died off or things happened, and he had to leave planet earth.

He flirted, and slept with various men, women, and species, but that was all it really was – sex. It didn't mean anything deep, and he envied Gwen for what she had, and it was one of the biggest reasons he chose her to work for Torchwood. He had hoped she could teach them a thing or two about having a personal life.

"Don't know about that, Rhys is fine on his own."

"Let's take this conversation out of my office, please," Jack insisted glancing briefly into the stone arch hole where his bed was occupied. He snatched a night satchel from his drawer, and Gwen followed him out of the office.

Jack disappeared toward the restrooms, and when he came back an hour later everyone but Ianto were getting started for the morning.

"Where's Ianto?" Toshiko asked in concerned.

"Who cares?" Owen snarked darkly.

"Maybe he left?" Gwen queried.

"He is asleep," Jack corrected the two. "I don't want to see or hear anymore cruelty toward Ianto, is that clear?"

Owen sneered, but said nothing as he pulled up a game client. "He needs to bring me my coffee!"

Toshiko smiled. "We all make mistakes." She switched on all her CCTV monitors, and accessed her personal computers with diagrams, and numbers that only she could figure out. "I forgave Ianto the moment he did it. Love can hurt any strong person."

"Love isn't an excuse to kill us," Gwen pointed out.

"But love is blind. You can't see where you're going or what you're doing until it has been done. Grief can kill any strong man or woman," Toshiko reasoned. "But, Ianto has us to help him. We didn't see it before, but we can do something about it all now."

Gwen and Owen didn't look too sure, but Jack smiled. "For that, Tosh, I shall get you a cup of coffee," he said patting her on the shoulder.

Toshiko beamed, and Owen scoffed. "Teacher's pet," he shot.

"I can make my own," Gwen said bouncing up only to be detoured by Owen and Toshiko's frantic look.

"Never go near Ianto's coffee machine!" Owen demanded sharply. "Only Jack can get near there and not have his head ripped off, and that's because he's the boss."

"I almost caught the HUB on fire," Toshiko confessed sheepishly. "Ianto had me on instant for a week."

"What? I can make coffee, it's just a stupid machine."

Jack shook his head. "No, Gwen, and that is an order."

It was almost eleven when Ianto emerged from Jack's office looking crisp, and perfect as if he hadn't been asleep a half hour ago.

"Where the hell have you been?" Gwen asked when she saw him.

Ianto didn't answer her. "I'll make coffee, I apologize, Jack," he said looking back at Jack who had come up behind him. "I didn't mean to oversleep."

"It was well needed rest, Ianto. I hoped you learned your lesson, when Captain Jack tells you to sleep, you sleep."

Ianto smiled a little. "I'll remember that – _sir_," he taunted walking away gracefully.

Jack found himself distracted by Ianto's walk, and an unscrupulous smirk plastered on his face.

Jack dismissed everyone early when Tosh's monitors came up with no intriguing activity. Gwen looked ashen faced, and Owen did a whoop as he took out of the HUB like a bat out of hell.

"I'll keep the mainframe monitors on, Jack," Toshiko said typing in some codes. "That way if something comes up you won't have to call us, we'll get the message right away."

"Thanks, Tosh."

Soon, the HUB was empty, and only the whirring of computers, and the screech of their prehistoric pet flying in the open space above Jack could be heard.

He resisted the urge to laugh when Ianto Jones came through the empty building checking over sheets of paper on a clipboard.

"Do I have to repeat last night?"

Ianto paused, his cheeks flushing as he glanced over at Jack nervously. "No, I'm not sleepy, and it's only four o' clock."

Jack chuckled. "Don't you have anything fun to do away from the HUB?"

"Not really," he admitted. "What about you?"

"There are plenty of things, but right now my concern is you."

"I'm fine, Jack, really. Thank you though, I really did need the sleep." He looked away from the intense gaze in those dark blue eyes.

"Of course you did, and it just so happened you slept with the sexiest man on earth."

Ianto couldn't help it, he cracked a smile, and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. "Narcissism is very becoming of you, sir," he drawled.

"Indeed it is. How about dinner?"

"You paying?"

"A gentleman always pays," Jack quipped.

"That rules you out then."

"Very cheeky, Ianto, I like it." Jack wiggled his eyebrows playfully, and Ianto couldn't contain the bubbling laughter making its way through him.

"I live to please."

"Is that so?" Jack asked innocently.

Ianto leveled Jack with a stare, and Jack's only response was a cheesy grin.


	2. Communication is Purposeful

_A/N: This would have been up faster if it hadn't been for Turkey day and sleepy cold medicine. Usually, I post two chapters immediately at the beginning of every story._

_Spoilers: Small Wonders_

_Note on Gwen: I am going to try to keep her neutral, but I end up writing her how I see her, and it is never the prettiest way. I practiced writing these characters weeks before writing this story. It always takes a while to get into the groove of new characters, so let me know if I miss something absolutely important, I skimmed over most of COE and all of MD. I'm using Wiki to make up for those lost facts.  
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_**Two – Communication is Purposeful**_

_To learn and acquire the knowledge of others, the world, and yourself_

_To relate and form relationships with others-_

_To enjoy the experience of the moment_

It was a known fact that sleeping with the boss was not healthy, whether there was sexual interaction or not. He also knew that the buzzing of his nerves seemed to rage ever higher on a scale that Ianto was sure hadn't been invented in the 21st Century yet. For some reason, Jack seemed to think it was prudent to keep him close at all hours of the days.

He had even been dragged out into the field, which was a little confusing to the others, and caused quite a stir from Gwen. Owen had calmed down, and he was treating Ianto the way he always did with a backhanded friendliness that Ianto had come to understand meant a convoluted sense of friendship – at least Ianto thought it was, he could never tell with that man.

Toshiko was as sweet as ever, and he didn't think that would ever change. The adorable little Japanese woman didn't seem to have a hateful bone in her body, and for that he always handed Toshiko her coffee second with Jack always being first.

However, back to the whole sleeping with his boss, he had to literally sneak out of the HUB to go home, and get a proper change of clothing. He didn't understand how Jack could live in the HUB day in and day out without ever needing to find a place to call his own.

Ianto should find Jack's sudden protective nature aggravating; if it had been anyone else, he would have protested with the cheapest knock-off of instant coffee available to man, maybe even green tea if he was especially upset. He supposed Jack was feeling guilty for some odd reason, even though there was no one to blame but himself for the disasters.

It was early when Ianto slipped into the HUB, he'd had a time crawling across Jack's still body, and out of the manhole, but he'd managed. Now, here he was checking a couple files, and wondering what was wrong with the weather. It kept zigzagging from warm to cold, from dry to wet instantly. Whatever it was, Ianto knew it was worth taking a look.

He scaled the steps as he heard the low keen caw of Myfanwy circling overhead, and chomping into one of the desirable pigeons that fluttered their way into the rafters.

The HUB was as still as death otherwise, and he paused outside of the door to Jack's office. He was still checking the papers when Jack's voice startled him.

"You left my bed," Jack accused with an arched eyebrow.

Ianto peered over at the tall never-changing man, and closed the file in his hand. "I needed a change of clothing."

"Hm, I suppose walking around in the nude is not very appropriate for our job. Although, I have to say I wouldn't mind."

Ianto shook his head, and headed over to one of Tosh's monitors. "Something unusual is going on," he said feeling Jack close in on him.

Slipping a stray red rose petal into his pocket, Jack stepped behind the younger man, and casually placed a hand on the small of his back. "What ya got?"

"Not much. It's the weather. An odd set of patterns really. Maybe it's nothing."

Jack's frown was so abundant that Ianto could feel it. "It's not nothing," he rebuked darkly.

Ianto gazed over at his shoulder, and found that it was wrong to see Jack's frown so distinct. Sure, he'd frowned a lot of times before, but it didn't often come attached to a haunting shade, and a presence.

"What is it?" Taking in a deep breath, Jack produced the red rose petal, and Ianto blinked. "What? A rose petal?"

"It's more than that. They're back."

Ianto was used to cryptic speak after being on the job for so long in both London, and here in Cardiff. "Who is back?"

"The correct term is what." He unconsciously fisted Ianto's back gently. "The legendary name is fairies, but they are not fairies. They are nefarious creatures."

Now, Ianto was confused. He had heard a lot of farfetched tales in his time, and a lot of them had come out true, but – fairies? He shot Jack a disbelieving look. "Say I believe you… what do they do?"

"Tricks, games, and destruction. What do they want? Why now? Why here?" Jack asked no one in particular.

Ianto decided to give Jack the benefit of the doubt. "Maybe they want something?"

"Most likely, I need to contact someone, will you assist me today?" he asked turning from the monitors to look at Ianto.

Shocked, Ianto did his best to cover it up. "Won't that upset some of the others?" he countered.

"I'm the boss," Jack reminded. "I want you with me. You can meet Estelle."

"Estelle?"

"Hm, and extraordinary woman, and she has a heart of gold, yet she has a naïve tendency, and I must see her if they are back because otherwise, she'll try and find them – and it won't end well."

Ianto nodded. "I'm all yours then."

Jack chuckled, and leaned in Ianto until he was flush with the man's back. He smirked when Ianto shivered discreetly. "You've always been mine, Ianto," he snapped his teeth together and then he was gone.

Ianto let out a ragged breath, and closed his eyes tight. It was also not a good idea to throw such open lines to a handsome leader who would take those lines and use them effectively to make his subordinates blush.

Yes, definitely not good.

oOo

Jack didn't even explain to the group why he had Ianto with him when he left the HUB. Ianto didn't want to push further because the grim expression on Jack's face reminded Ianto of the whole Lisa dilemma, and it brought haunting memories back to him.

"We are heading to a seminar, an old friend, Estelle who believes that _'those things'_ are an amazing natural phenomenon."

Ianto decided to remain objective, if Jack believed something like this, then it couldn't be all wrong could it? He buckled his seat belt before Jack's driving caused him serious damage.

"If they are back with their games, and Estelle has witnessed this, then she could be in danger."

In no time at all they were parking outside of an old building. There were very few cars in the lot. Jack led them to a seminar, and held the door open as Ianto caught a glimpse of an advertisement, _'Fairies, Fact or Fantasy?'_

If Ianto was anything other than Torchwood, he would have scoffed, and went the other way. But this seemed important to Jack.

The hall was small, and there were plenty of seats available. Only a small half dozen seemed to be interested in the phenomenon of fairy culture.

Jack smiled fondly at the elderly woman standing at the front with an age old project that showed a picture of the fairies and a child.

"I suppose I'm one of the fortunate few who's been allowed to see our little friends…" she said endearingly. The woman was positively glowing. Jack and Ianto took a seat in the back together as Estelle continued on with her lecture. "And it's been no easy task. One needs to have the patience of a saint and the blind faith of a prophet, but for me the long wait has been worthwhile."

Ianto smiled, she was a sweet lady, and he wondered how Jack knew her, but he didn't ask. He knew all walks of life, and non-living beings of the world. It was amazing thinking about everything that Jack knew, and that was why Ianto did his best to keep an open mind.

"This is my first picture. Not that clear I know, but the ring of stones can be seen quite distinctly."

The shift in the air caused Ianto to glance sideways at Jack who was sitting up straight, and looking very worried. Estelle finished about ten minutes later with a soft and pleasant, thank you.

Jack shook his head, leaning to the side toward Ianto. "Wrong, she always gets it wrong."

"She seems really sweet," Ianto offered, and Jack's face lit up like a candle.

"She is, and that is why she does not see what I see. She has not experienced the hell I went through."

Ianto unconsciously placed a hand on Jack's knee. "I believe you," he said with as much truthfulness as he could muster.

Jack smiled, and turned to Ianto. His head spinning a little at the warm expression on the man's face. "I know, and it's why I brought you here."

When they went up to talk to Estelle, Jack introduced them.

Ianto smiled pleasantly. "It is an honor to meet you."

"Oh, Jack, he is certainly a keeper!" she squealed with delight. She brought her shoulders up with glee. "Wherever did you meet such a sweet handsome young man?"

Ianto's boss cocked his head to the side with a smug smile as he winked at them both. "Oh, you know me, always after the sweet and handsome."

Estelle giggled like a school girl, and patted Jack's arm affectionately.

Ianto blushed a little at the plethora of compliments. "I'm right here, in case you didn't notice," he reminded them shyly.

Estelle beamed, and Jack chuckled heartily. "He's one of my best," he said without hesitation.

Ianto's heart swelled at Jack's words, and it affected him greatly. He'd never been called the 'one of the best' before. He'd always been known as a servant, and nothing more. Did Jack really mean that? He wanted to believe so, but sometimes, it was so hard.

His interactions with Estelle and body language told Ianto what words did not. They were very familiar, and when they bantered about whether the fairies were good or evil, they seemed comfortable, and content in one another's presence.

That made Ianto recall all of the strange things that had happened since he joined Torchwood. Jack had always seemed old when it came to his eyes, and sometimes he was weary. It was like Jack had seen things that no one in any Torchwood HUB could ever see in a life time. Ianto always had his suspicions, but he felt it was rude to bring them up.

Ianto didn't believe that Estelle had been Jack's father's lover. For one, Ianto had never heard anything about his father, and for another the two seemed way too comfortable for that sort of familiarity. He was holding her protectively as if he were afraid that these fairies would harm her.

"Do you have any more photos?" Jack asked gently.

"Yes, at home."

"Right, I need to see them all."

Ianto enjoyed seeing Jack and Estelle together, he watched with curious eyes, and often gazed at the pictures on the mantle especially the one with Jack and a young Estelle together. He allowed his mind to connect the dots. Considering the rift in Cardiff, and the strange mystery of Jack Harkness, he knew now for a solid fact that Jack was either immortal, out of time and space, or both. He was leaning toward both simply because it made the most sense.

Estelle's cat had decided to make a perch on his lap, and although he internally complained about cat hair, he left Estelle and Jack to their own devices as he stroked the cat, and memorized the comforting little cottage of a once young and beautiful woman.

Later after they left Estelle's house, and on the drive home, Jack arched an eyebrow. "You are unusually silent, Ianto."

"Pondering, sir."

Jack smirked. "I'm sure you have questions."

"Not really, sir."

Laughing softly, his boss reached over and took Ianto's hands. "You saw the photographs."

"I only draw up a very conclusive hypothesis."

"Elaborate on this – hypothesis?"

"It does not matter."

"Doesn't it? Aren't you curious?"

"As all humans are," Ianto quipped. "I believe that if you wish to tell me then I will be here to listen."

"You know that was not my father in the photographs?"

"I know like she knows." Ianto smiled sadly. "I know it, but why say it? Saying it may break hearts, and there have been enough heartbreak between all of us to last a lifetime."

"That's what I like about you most, Ianto. You allow me to have my fantasies, whether they're healthy or not."

"You're a big boy. If you want to talk, I'm here. If you don't then – don't."

"Simple as that?"

"Simple as that," he repeated softly. "I'm famished; shall I call in lunch for everyone?"

"No, that's Gwen's job today. Your job is to help me discover what the hell these things are doing here, and why they are here. Tosh can follow the weather patterns."

"What do you call these things if you don't use the term fairies?"

"There is no name. They are unknown to everyone. They are something from the dawn of time, how could you possibly put a name to that? They are a part of our world, and yet we know nothing about them. So we pretend to know what they look like, we see them as happy, we imagine they have tiny little wings and are bathed in moonlight."

"That is obviously a myth."

"Yes, they are dangerous. Think something you can only half see, like a glimpse, like something out of the corner of your eye, with a touch of myth, and a touch of the spirit world, a touch of reality all jumbled together."

Ianto had a lot to think about. He would do what he could to help Jack with whatever he needed; he simply wasn't sure what that was. He hoped he'd know soon because he was way out of his element.

"We have to find them before all hell breaks loose."

"Then perhaps we should use a more neutral name when it comes to these things?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Sprite? You say they are a mix of reality and the spirit world, and it would be easier for the group if there was a proper name."

Jack laughed quietly. "Sprite will work. Not so sweet sounding."

For the last few weeks, Jack had been trying really hard to get to know his subordinates, and especially Ianto. Owen and Ianto were the two most difficult; Owen because he thrived on being difficult, and Ianto because Jack simply couldn't read the younger man's lovely face or his steps.

There was something about Ianto that made Jack take double glances, and think differently. He made Jack's gentlemanly manners rise to the surface, and that was kind of worrying.

Ianto was a persistent and intelligent young man with a head full of reasoning. Jack admitted that reasoning was not his strongest skill. He was good at what he did because of the many lives he led, and having seen more than his fair share of hell over the decades. He'd been tortured, killed, and strung up in so many ways and places that if he had been anyone but who he was, he'd have gone insane a long time ago.

During the whole Lisa debacle Jack realized he had let go all of his reasoning skills in a time of panic, and acted more alien and threatening than Ianto's Cyberwoman. He realized as he sat there listening to Ianto's soft hum to the radio that he was harsher on Ianto than the others.

Gwen made mistakes all the time, and she often acted silly with her theories, and Jack endured them.

Owen was a total bastard, and he would say things that most bosses would fire him for.

Toshiko – well – Toshiko didn't really do anything. She was a good girl in the biggest sense. She was the big sister of Torchwood Three. She always had an ear for anyone who needed to talk along with a sweet sympathetic smile at the ready.

Jack had overlooked a lot of Suzie's transgressions, she had been second in command, and he allowed her to mock-lead for most of it. He knew that there would come a time when the Doctor returned, and the HUB would need guidance.

It took a lot of event turning, and interaction to realize that he was harder on Ianto because he had been scared. There weren't many instances in which Jack had been terrified for someone else's life. He was excellent at compartmentalizing everything around him. The Suzie fiasco hadn't affected him all that much, and he had replaced her on the same day.

He wouldn't be able to do that with Ianto. His little tea boy wasn't just a servant or a well mannered Welshman who always had an answer ready on his lips. Ianto Jones was more. The idea of Ianto putting himself in harm's way for the sake of another woman did things to Jack that he didn't appreciate.

He cringed openly, and flinched minutely when a hand touched his forearm.

"Are you alright?" Ianto asked. "We've been sitting here for forty-five minutes."

Jack stared at Ianto's sweet face, and flashed him a coy smile. "Just thinking about you," he said honestly.

Ianto's eyes narrowed. "Nice way to throw me off."

"Oh no, I'm not. I was sitting here, and realizing why I was so much harder on you than the others."

Coughing to clear his throat, Ianto let go of Jack, and hit the door handle. "Let's debrief the others."

Jack's reflex were as good as a cats, he snatched Ianto's forearm, and yanked him closer until their faces were mere inches apart.

"Jack-" Ianto breathed dropping all pretenses.

"I don't like the idea of you being hurt. I can't replace you if something happened. I don't want to replace you."

"I'm right here, Jack," Ianto insisted.

"Yeah, you are."

"I'm not leaving."

Jack placed a soft chaste kiss to Ianto's cheek. "Shall we then?"

* * *

><p>Apologies for the errors, every time I tried to fix one, I would start coughing. Damn school, and creepy 6 foot 7 idiot who decided to hand me his germs. *shudders*<p> 


End file.
